Tag Archives: tvdebates

Old media, new media and the UK election – John Naughton

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    John Naughton:

    “What TV did best, in this particular context, was to stage the debate: only a broadcast (few-to-many) medium could do that. But where it struggles is in attempting to add value to that broadcast event. To date, it has fallen back on the old, pre-Internet, staples (studio discussions with bigwigs, spinmeisters and columnists) leavened with a smattering of new tech tools (for example, second-by-second reaction tracking). But, actually, the value added is trivial compared with what’s available on the Web and in social media. And the reason for that is simple: TV is a push medium; and the intellectual bandwidth of push media is inherently very narrow. As Neil Postman observed many years ago (and James Fallows also showed in his lovely book, Breaking the News), you can’t do philosophy with smoke signals."

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    Del.ici.us tags: johnnaughton election2010 broadcasting print online journalism newmedia tvdebates

Sky News’ Election Feed Carried By Telegraph, ITV, Guardian, Others – paidContent:UK

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    Sky News’ Election Feed Carried By Telegraph, ITV, Guardian, Others – paidContent:UK

    "SkyNews.com’s executive producer Julian March tells paidContent:UK that Telegraph.co.uk and Guardian.co.uk, in addition to News Corp (NYSE: NWS) stablemates Times Online and Sun Online, will be taking the channel’s feed from the broadcast in Bristol. ITV.com tells us it’s also hosting Sky’s stream.

    It may not be initially clear what these sites, which may be considered rivals, stand to gain. Digital TV platforms, which all carry Sky News’ TV channel for free, are already evident in 91.4 percent of UK homes (source: Ofcom Q4 ‘09). But some, non-digital viewers are seeking an alternative means of viewing, according to our trawl of Twitter (below), presenting the sites an opportunity…

    Each carrying the same feed, the news sites will be competing with Sky’s own SkyNews.com, which will benefit from on-air trails from the channel – but they will get to duke it out on surrounding features…"

    Del.ici.us tags: election2010 tvdebates

Will the leader’s election debates engage first time voters? – Journalism.co.uk Editors’ Blog

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    Will the leader’s election debates engage first time voters? – Journalism.co.uk Editors’ Blog

    Elizabeth Davies' experience of watching the first TV debate online:

    "I was not glued to my television, but only because I don’t have one. Like a significant fraction of the population – a fraction dominated by young first-time voters like myself – I chose to watch the debate online. Unfortunately the quality of ITV’s live stream made it difficult to remain captivated for long. It’s one thing to engage with social media to encourage meaningful online discussion, but quite another to slap so many cursory widgets on the page that no-one is able to load anything."

    Del.ici.us tags: election2010 tvdebates online commentary

Election debate seen by 50,000 online – Broadcast

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    Election debate seen by 50,000 online – Broadcast

    Online viewing figures for first (main) party leaders election debate:

    "Nearly 50,000 people watched a live stream of the debate on itv.com, while a further 200,000 users expressed their views on the showdown in the commercial broadcaster’s biggest ever online chat. The web page hosting the stream received over 600,000 hits in total.

    [...]

    The UK’s first television election debate peaked with 10.3m viewers (40% share) – with ITV1 holding on to an audience of more than 9m for almost all of its 90-minute running time from 8.30pm.

    The First Election Debate between Gordon Brown, Nick Clegg and David Cameron averaged 9.5m (37.3%), according to overnight figures from Attentional.

    It was well ahead of the slot average of 5.5 million (22%)."

    Del.ici.us tags: election2010 tvdebates online audience figures itv

Leaders’ debate TV ratings: 9.4m viewers make clash day’s biggest show – guardian.co.uk

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    Leaders’ debate TV ratings: 9.4m viewers make clash day’s biggest show – guardian.co.uk

    "The first ever UK televised leaders' debate attracted an impressive 9.4 million viewers on ITV1 last night, beating Coronation Street and EastEnders to become the most watched programme of the day.

    Last night's historic 90-minute debate between Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg also proved more popular than the BBC's controversial Question Time featuring the British National party leader, Nick Griffin, which was watched by 7.9 million viewers back in October in a later 10.35pm Thursday slot.

    The First Election Debate on ITV1 averaged 9.4 million viewers between 8.30pm and 10pm, a 37% share of the total TV audience over that period.

    Only soaps, reality shows such as Britain's Got Talent and major live sporting events attract these sort of figures on a regular basis nowadays, with the fragmentation of viewing across hundreds of digital channels."

    Del.ici.us tags: tvdebates election2010 audience figures

Testing the election pulse across the country – BBC News

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    Testing the election pulse across the country – BBC News

    Gavin Esler, Presenter of BBC Town Hall Debates:

    "The party leaders will have their say in the televised Thursday TV debates, but most of us will not have the chance to meet a party leader in person or to vote for one directly.

    All politics, as the former Speaker of the US House of Representatives, Tip O'Neill, famously observed, is local.

    Over the next few weeks, beginning tomorrow, our Town Hall Debates will visit the three constituencies of Bolton West, Stirling, and St Austell and Newquay.

    In each place 100 or so local voters – many of them still undecided – will put questions to three or four candidates from the leading parties.

    It means we will have a chance to listen to the heartbeat of Britain.

    [...]

    We do not know what to expect. Nor do the candidates.

    That is what makes the debates, and this election, so exciting.

    • Town Hall Debates will be aired on the BBC News Channel and BBC website at 1200BST on Tuesday, 13 April."

    Del.ici.us tags: election2010 townhall debates television tvdebates bbc gavinesler

Your question for the Prime Ministerial Debate – BBC News

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    Your question for the Prime Ministerial Debate – BBC News

    "For the first time ever in the UK, the leaders of the three main parties will debate on live television during the General Election campaign.

    On 29 April, the BBC is hosting a live Prime Ministerial Debate, and we want your questions for Gordon Brown, David Cameron and Nick Clegg.

    The first half of the programme will debate the economy. We will then have the chance to discuss all other election issues.

    A selection of the best questions submitted will be considered for use in the programme."

    Del.ici.us tags: bbc tvdebates haveyoursay debate

SNP and Plaid Cymru appeal against BBC debate decision – BBC News

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    SNP and Plaid Cymru appeal against BBC debate decision – BBC News

    "The SNP and Plaid Cymru are appealing against a decision by the BBC not to include their leaders in a televised UK general election debate.

    Alex Salmond and Ieuan Wyn Jones have written to the BBC Trust to request an oral hearing to appeal against the BBC executive's decision.

    The pair are angry their parties will not be represented in three debates to be televised on the BBC, ITV and Sky.

    The BBC argues it has clearly set out how impartiality will be achieved.

    The BBC Trust said it could not comment in advance of receiving the letter."

    Del.ici.us tags: election2010 tvdebates impartiality